Before the American Revolution, all the 13 Atlantic Colonies south of Canada  were loyal to the King of Great Britain - King George III. When the American Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, many of the Loyalists were unable to live peacefully with the Revolutionists, as the Loyalists were thought to be outlaws and traitors. Property was seized, homes burned and some
Loyalists were even arrested and imprisoned.

Georgia, South Carolina and New York were the Loyalists' strongholds, with most of the members for the British forces originally from the New York colony. By 1776, about 100,000 citizens were living east of the Ottawa River (Dist. of Quebec) - practically no white settlement had taken place west of the Ottawa River (Dist. of Montreal). The War of Independence went on for several years until 1783.

Thousands of families (mostly farmers) escaped to Nova Scotia (from which in 1784, the Province of New Brunswick was formed) and about 6,000 (lower than was once believed) had immigrated to the Province of Quebec (later known as Quebec and Ontario) - these lands being under British rule. After the disbandment of the various corps which were raised for the King, the officers and soldiers were rewarded grants of land by the British Government. - 10,000 acres for Lieut. Colonels on down to Privates who received 200 acres. They were also provided 3 years supply of clothing and food, also lumber to build homes.

The land in the District of Montreal, fronting the St. Lawrence River was surveyed in 1783 and by 1784, fourteen townships (known  by number only) were ready for settlement. They were set out approximately 10 miles square and divided into concessions by lines running parallel to the river. The townships, numbered from east to west - 6, 7 & 8 (later named Edswardsburg, Augusta & Elizabethtown) were settled by families of Major Edward Jessup's Corps (Loyal Rangers - raised in 1776); townships 7 & 8 were also settled by the 2nd Battalion of the King's Royal Regiment of New York (KRRNY) - raised in 1780. These three townships in 1784 had a population of 495 which included women and children. Many of the men whose families were not yet in Canada returned to the United States to gather them in. The settlers who were involved in active military service were given land grants at the river shore. The land inshore went to civilian United Empire Loyalists.

By July of 1784, in townships 6, 7 & 8, 50 lots were settled and a number or huts were built in each of the townships fronting the St. Lawrence River. By October, the population totalled 567 residents. The first grist mill to service the whole area was built the same year at Cataraqui (Kingston) which was the only one for 3 to 4 years.

In 1788, Sir Guy Carleton (Lord Dorchester) - Governor General of Canada, divided the District of Montreal into 4 districts - from east to west - Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nassau and Hesse and on July 24th named the townships. From east to west, the townships in the District of Lunenburg were now named Lancaster, Charlottenburg, Cornwall, Osnabruck, Williamsburg, Matilda, Edwardsburg, Augusta and Elizabethtown. Each district had a land board to award grants of 200 acres which were now being allotted to non-combatant Loyalists, to their sons upon reaching age 21 and to their daughters when eligible or upon marriage. By 1791, roughly 10,000 refugees had settled west of Montreal in the Province of Quebec.

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